With major border crossing at Sault Ste. Marie, Sarnia, and Windsor, Michigan is a popular spot for those heading to the state for vacation or just passing through to other destinations. With close to 30 casinos, Michigan also welcomes a large number of cross-border Canadians who like to gamble.
Michigan Casinos
Each year, 2.62 million Canadians visit Michigan where they leave behind $464 million vacation dollars.1The Ambassador Bridge—spanning Windsor and Detroit—is the busiest Canada-U.S border crossing, handling close to 8,000 trucks and 68,000 travellers daily.
And there is a lot to do in Michigan. A Midwestern state bordering four of the Great Lakes, Michigan contains more than 11,000 inland lakes. In addition to the auto industry, Detroit is famous for its music legacy, including being the hometown of Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, and Madonna. Hitsville USA in Detroit is the original headquarters of the Motown record company.
You will no doubt hear some Motown hits piping through the speakers at the 28 casinos in Michigan, of which three are commercial and 25 are located on Native American reservations. Those visiting Michigan can play on more than 30,600 slots and gaming machines and more than 620 table games.2
MGM Grand Detroit
The MGM Grand Detroit is located in downtown Detroit, just 20 minutes from the Detroit Metro Airport and 10 minutes from the Canadian border. The casino first opened its doors in 2007 and was the first Las Vegas-style luxury casino resort hotel in a major metropolis outside of Las Vegas.3
The 100,000-square-foot casino has nearly 4,000 slots and video poker machines and 98 table games, including blackjack, baccarat, craps, progressive pai gow poker, roulette, Texas hold ’em, and two-way monte. The MGM Grand Detroit is home to the city’s premier non-smoking poker room where visitors can play seven-card stud, Omaha hi-lo, and limit and no-limit hold ’em.4
The MGM Grand Detroit also has a 401-room hotel, spa, fitness centre and pool, restaurants (including Wolfgang Puck Steak or Wolfgang Puck Pizzeria & Cucina), upscale shopping, and a VIP nightclub. The MGM Grand Detroit also has an upscale shopping mall and other amenities.
Odawa Casino Resort
Owned and operated by the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, the Odawa Casino Resort opened in 2007 and sits on a hilltop overlooking the city of Petoskey and Little Traverse Bay on Lake Michigan.5
Located one hour south of Mackinaw City, Michigan. and two hours south of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, the $140 million, 300,000-square-foot Odawa Casino Resort contains a 50,000-square-foot casino featuring about 1,200 slots and dozens of table games where you can play roulette, craps, blackjack, three card poker, six-card bonus, let it ride, and i-table roulette. The casino also has a high-limit room and a dedicated poker room and blackjack room.
The AAA Three Diamond Odawa Hotel underwent a major renovation in 2014 and offers 127 guest rooms and 10 luxury suites, as well as an indoor pool and hot tub. The property also has three restaurants (a cafe, buffet, and fine dining), two bars, and a 1,000-seat concert hall.6
Four Winds Casino – New Buffalo
Four Winds Casino – New Buffalo is located in the southwest corner of the state of Michigan and is 80 minutes east of Chicago, 80 minutes west of Kalamazoo, and 3.5 hours west of Windsor.7
The massive Four Winds Casino in New Buffalo is owned and operated by the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians. And with a casino floor covering 135,000 square foot, it is one of the biggest casinos in the United States.8
Walking the casino floor, you’ll discover more than 3,000 slot machines, some of which have the areas biggest jackpots with progressives that start at $100,000. The minimum bets are $0.01 while the maximum bets are $100. Four Winds – New Buffalo also has over 60 table games including blackjack, craps, no way craps and bonus craps, crazy four poker, let it ride, Mississippi stud, mini and midi baccarat with dragon bonus, roulette, three-card poker progressive, and pai gow poker.
The Four Winds – New Buffalo features a separate high-limit area offering high-stakes gaming. The exclusive area has more than 80 high-limit slots—with denominations ranging from $1.00 to $100—and table games (blackjack, blackjack with lucky lucky, blackjack with 21 + 3, and midi Baccarat).
Four Winds Hotel offers 415 luxury rooms, suites, and celebrity suites, five restaurants (including a Hard Rock Café), lounges, and shopping.
U.S. Casino Winnings Subject to 30% Withholding Tax
If you are a non-U.S. resident and you visit Michigan and win a significant amount of money, your gaming winnings could be subject to a 30% withholding tax. But, if you live in a country like Canada, which has signed a U.S. tax treaty, you may be eligible for a refund.
Some of the countries that do not have a U.S. tax treaty but may still be eligible for a refund include: Australia, Bahrain, Barbados, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Israel, Kuwait, Mexico, Malaysia, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, and the U.A.E. However, based on a recent court case, winners from these countries may qualify for a refund if they meet certain criteria. Contact us for further information to find out if you are eligible to get your withholding taxes back!
If you win a substantial amount gambling (usually over $1,200), your winnings are subject to a 30% withholding tax by the IRS. So, if you win $3,000 playing poker, the casino will pay you $2,100. The IRS keeps the rest.
RMS is the Easiest, Fastest Way to Get Your Money Back
If you’ve been to the U.S. and had 30% of your winnings held back by the IRS, Refund Management Services (RMS) can help you reclaim a portion or all of your taxable winnings.
Founded by a Canadian Chartered Accountant in 1998, RMS is the most reliable and experienced gaming and casino tax refund provider for non-U.S. residents. Only RMS has the One Simple StepTMprocess. Our customer service agents take care of the rest.
Once you provide us with complete documentation, your claim will be processed and we will submit it to the IRS
We’ve never been refused for an eligible refund. Contact us today by calling our toll-free number at 1-888-272-5559 or by emailing us at [email protected]!
Sources:
1.“Michigan,” Government of Canada, November 24, 2015, http://can-am.gc.ca/business-affaires/fact_sheets-fiches_documentaires/mi.aspx?lang=eng.
2.“Michigan Casinos,” World Casino Directory, November 24, 2015, http://www.worldcasinodirectory.com/michigan.
3.“MGM Grand Detroit,” World Casino Directory, November 24, 2015, http://www.worldcasinodirectory.com/casino/mgm-grand-detroit-casino-2390.
4.“MGM Grand Detroit,” MGM Grand Detroit, November 24, 2015, http://www.mgmgranddetroit.com/.
5.“Odawa Casino Resort,” Odawa Casino Resort, November 24, 2015, https://www.odawacasino.com/.
6.“Odawa Casino Resort,” World Casino Directory, November 24, 2015, http://www.worldcasinodirectory.com/casino/odawa-casino-resort.
7.“Four Winds Casino New Buffalo,” Four Winds Casino Resort, November 24, 2015, http://www.fourwindscasino.com/.
8.“Four Winds Casino Resort – New Buffalo,” World Casino Directory, November 24, 2015, http://www.worldcasinodirectory.com/casino/four-winds-casino-resort-3485.